How to Hunt the October Lull Successfully

Decide If You Are Going to Hunt “Sign” or Hunt “October Mood”

The October lull is real, and the way I beat it is by hunting closer to bedding, lowering my movement expectations, and only sitting when the wind lets me get away with it.

I stop hunting like it is late October rut, and I start hunting like the deer already know I am there.

I have hunted whitetails for 23 years, starting with my dad in southern Missouri when I was 12.

I grew up broke, so I learned public land before I could ever sniff an Illinois lease.

Now I split my time between a 65-acre lease in Pike County, Illinois and the public land chaos of the Missouri Ozarks.

I bow hunt most of it, with 25 years behind a compound, and I still rifle hunt gun season because I like filling tags and freezers.

My Quick Rule of Thumb

If it is October 5 to October 20 and I am seeing deer after dark on cameras, I move in tight to bedding and hunt the first sit with a safe wind.

If you see fresh rubs that show wet shavings and a muddy track line that looks like a cow path, expect a buck to be using it within the next 72 hours.

If conditions change to a 15-degree temp drop or the first cold rain front, switch to an evening food-edge sit and stay until the last legal minute.

Make One Hard Choice: Hunt Evenings for Odds, or Hunt Mornings for a Single Chance

I learned the hard way that October mornings can burn your spot fast on pressured ground.

Back in 2016 in the Missouri Ozarks, I walked in on a “perfect” cool morning and bumped a buck out of a bedding point in the dark.

I never saw him again that season, and that was on public where you do not get many repeats.

Here is what I do now, and it is boring but it works.

I hunt October evenings way more than mornings, unless I can slip in from the back with zero noise and the wind in my face the whole time.

If I cannot do that, I do not “force” a morning just because it is Saturday.

In Pike County, Illinois, I will risk a morning sit only if I know exactly where the buck beds and I can be in the tree 60 minutes before gray light.

On public land in the Missouri Ozarks, I treat morning access like a crime scene.

If I leave boot tracks on the main ridge trail or snap one stick, I assume the deer heard it.

Stop Watching the Field Edge and Start Hunting the Last 80 Yards of Cover

Most guys hunt October like September, staring at beans or a green plot and hoping a buck forgets he is a buck.

My buddy swears by sitting field edges all month, but I have found that pressured bucks in October show up 10 minutes after dark.

That is not a “lull.”

That is deer behavior after they got shot at in late September, got camera-flashed for three weeks, and smelled people checking cards.

Here is what I do.

I pick the bedding cover first, then I pick the trail that gets there, then I set up where I can shoot the trail before it hits open ground.

I want the first “legal light” movement, not the last “hope he slips up” movement.

This connects to what I wrote about are deer smart because October bucks are not dumb, they are just patterning you back.

Decide If You Will Move Your Setup, or Move Your Timing

October kills a lot of hunters because they sit the same stand and just blame the lull.

I wasted sits like that for years, and it cost me more than one good buck.

Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, I killed my biggest buck, a 156-inch typical, on a morning sit after a cold front.

That buck taught me something that also applies to October.

I did not kill him because my stand was magic.

I killed him because my timing matched his feet hitting the ground early.

In October, you can do the same thing, but you need a reason for the deer to move in daylight.

A temperature drop of 12 to 20 degrees does it.

A first frost does it.

A steady light rain that quiets your approach does it.

If you do not have one of those, then you better move your setup tighter to bedding, because daylight movement is short.

When I am trying to time deer movement, I check feeding times first because it keeps me honest about when deer want to stand up.

Mistake to Avoid: Checking Cameras Like You Are Getting Paid to Do It

I used to pull cards every three days, like the buck was going to send me a calendar invite.

I learned the hard way that I was educating deer faster than I was learning them.

Here is what I do now.

I only check October cameras around mid-day, and only when the wind is blowing my scent away from bedding.

On my Pike County lease, that usually means a 12 mph wind out of the west, and I come in from the east ditch line.

On Missouri public, I avoid cameras near bedding completely in October and run them on crossings and “inventory” spots.

If you want to understand why deer vanish during weird weather, this connects to where do deer go when it rains because rain changes how comfortable they feel moving.

Tradeoff: Hunt Aggressive and Risk Burning It, or Hunt Safe and Accept Fewer Encounters

October is where you pick your poison.

If you hunt aggressive, you might kill early, but you can also ruin your best spot until November.

If you hunt safe, you might keep the area calm, but you may only see does and spikes in daylight.

Here is what I do, and I do it because I grew up hunting public land and I do not like long odds.

I hunt aggressive on new-to-me spots, and I hunt conservative on my best known bedding areas.

On the Missouri Ozarks public, I will push closer because there are other hunters pushing anyway.

On the Pike County lease, I protect the two best bedding ridges like they are savings accounts.

If I blow them out with bad wind, I pay interest in November.

Pick the Right “October Tree,” Not the Prettiest Tree

I have watched guys pick a tree because it has cover, then wonder why they never get a shot.

In October, I want a tree that makes the shot easy, not just the hideout comfy.

Here is what I do.

I set up 18 to 22 feet high with my compound, and I trim exactly two windows with hand pruners.

I do it once, and I leave.

I want a 20-yard shot max in October, because deer are jumpy and the leaves are loud.

If you are hunting thick cover like the Missouri Ozarks, forget about 40-yard “open lane” dreams and focus on a 12-yard chip shot you can make under pressure.

This connects to what I wrote about where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks because October shots can be fast, and you need a simple aiming plan.

Use Gear That Solves a Problem, Not Gear That Sells Hope

I have burned money on gear that did nothing, and I am not proud of it.

The most wasted money I ever spent was $400 on ozone scent control that made zero difference.

I still got busted in October, because I was hunting bad wind and walking through deer.

Here is what I do instead.

I spend money on access and quiet.

I use rubber boots when it is wet and I can keep them clean, and I use leather boots when it is dry because rubber squeaks on steep hills.

I keep my pack light so I do not sweat on the walk in.

If I could only buy one “October” item again, it would be a wind checker like the Dead Down Wind Powder.

It is about $9, and it tells me the truth even when I do not want it.

Make Your Access Plan Like You Are Sneaking Past Your Own Kids

I take two kids hunting now, so I am used to moving slow and quiet.

That mindset helps me in October more than any camo pattern.

Here is what I do.

I park farther away and walk the long way if it keeps me off the main deer trail.

I cross creeks when I can because water holds scent less than dry leaves.

I avoid skylining on ridge tops at all costs.

In hill country like Buffalo County, Wisconsin, I learned this fast because deer watch those ridges like security cameras.

If I have to cross open timber, I wait for a gust, then I move.

This connects to what I wrote about do deer move in the wind because wind helps your noise, but it can also shift your scent into bedding if you are careless.

Mistake to Avoid: Thinking Rubs Automatically Mean Daylight Movement

Rubs in October get hunters fired up, and I get it.

I still get that little stomach flip when I see a rub line pop up overnight.

But I learned the hard way that rubs can be 100% after dark.

Back in 2007, I made my worst mistake and gut shot a doe, pushed her too early, and never found her.

I still think about it, and it changed how I treat sign and patience.

So in October, I do not just “hunt the rub.”

I hunt the rub only if it lines up with bedding access and a wind I can trust.

If the rubs are on the field edge, I mark it and back out.

If the rubs are in the first thick 50 yards off bedding, I get interested.

And if I find a fresh scrape under a licking branch in October, I treat it like a checkpoint, not the destination.

This connects to what I wrote about deer mating habits because October is the ramp up, not the peak.

Tradeoff: Food Focus vs. Doe Focus in Mid-October

Some guys swear October is all about food, and some guys say it is all about does.

Both are right, and both are wrong, and it depends on one thing.

It depends on whether your does are still feeding in daylight on a pattern, or whether pressure has shoved them into cover early.

If the does are still hitting the same white oak flat at 6:10 p.m., I hunt that.

If the does vanished from open timber and are staging in thick cover, I hunt that edge instead.

In southern Iowa style ag country, food edges can be money in October because deer can stage in a ditch and step out before dark.

In the Missouri Ozarks, acorns and thick bedding cover usually beat any field edge sit I can think of.

When I am trying to pick a feeding spot, I also keep in mind what I wrote about deer habitat because the best October food is the food closest to safety.

Use a Simple October Call Plan, or Leave Calls at Home

Calling in October is one of those topics that starts arguments at truck tailgates.

My buddy swears by blind calling with a grunt tube every 30 minutes, but I have found that it burns more hunts than it saves.

Here is what I do.

I carry one grunt tube, like the Primos Original Can or a basic Primos Buck Roar, and I only use it when I see a buck moving off.

I give one soft grunt, and I stop.

If he is a mature buck and he wants to come, he will come.

Rattling stays in my pack until late October, and even then I only tickle them, not crash them.

If you are hunting a high-pressure spot, forget about aggressive calling and focus on ambush setup and wind.

Pick a Tracking Mindset Now, Not After You Shoot

October is where bad blood trailing starts, because leaves are loud and deer react hard to arrow impact.

I have lost deer I should have found, and I have found deer I thought were gone.

That gut shot doe in 2007 is still my reminder that tracking starts with patience.

Here is what I do.

I watch the deer until I cannot see it, then I watch where I last saw it, and I burn that picture into my head.

I wait longer than I want to, especially if I am not sure.

If you want the basic mechanics after the kill, this ties into how to field dress a deer because your whole night goes better when you recover the deer clean.

Cheap Stuff That Actually Helps in October

I am not a gear snob, because I grew up without money and I still hate wasting it.

The best cheap investment I ever made was $35 climbing sticks that I have used for 11 seasons.

They are loud if you bang them, but if you tape contact points they get the job done.

Here is what I do.

I wrap my stand and sticks with hockey tape on metal-to-metal spots.

I carry one extra strap because straps fail at the worst time.

If you are on public land, I would rather be mobile with a lightweight hang-on and sticks than married to one ladder stand spot all month.

For hang-on stands, I have had good luck with a Lone Wolf Alpha style platform, but I will be honest, they are not cheap anymore.

If you want budget, a Hawk Helium stand can work, but check every weld and do not overload the straps.

FAQ

Is the October lull real or am I just hunting the wrong spot?

It is real if your cameras show daylight activity dying and your sightings drop, but you still have fresh tracks and feed sign.

If you have no fresh tracks, no droppings, and no torn-up feed, you are probably hunting a dead spot.

What time of day should I hunt during the October lull?

I favor evenings because deer stage earlier and access is quieter.

I only hunt mornings if I can slip into a bedding-edge setup without crossing the deer’s travel route.

How far from bedding should I set up in early to mid-October?

I try to be within 60 to 120 yards of where I think the buck beds, based on wind and terrain.

If I cannot get that close without blowing him out, I back off and hunt the staging area instead.

Should I hunt scrapes in October?

I hunt scrapes in October only if they are in cover and close to bedding, not on a wide-open field edge.

If the scrape is hot but only at night, I use it as a clue to move closer to where the buck feels safe.

What is the biggest mistake hunters make during the October lull?

They keep hunting the same stand with the wrong wind and they educate every deer in the area.

The second biggest mistake is checking cameras too much and stomping around bedding cover.

Do I need scent control products to beat the October lull?

No, you need wind discipline and clean access more than bottles and machines.

I wasted $400 on ozone scent control, and it did not save me from bad decisions.

Decide What “Pressure” Means Where You Hunt, Then Hunt Like It Is Worse Than That

Pressure is not the same everywhere, and that matters in October.

On a Pike County, Illinois lease, pressure might mean one neighbor shooting a doe and driving a UTV at 4:30 p.m.

On Missouri Ozarks public, pressure can mean three trucks at the gate and orange hats walking ridges all weekend.

Here is what I do.

I assume the deer have already been bumped once, even if I did not see it.

I choose entry routes that avoid the easiest human path, because deer pattern people faster than people admit.

If you want a quick refresher on deer basics that actually matter in the woods, I sometimes point new hunters to deer species because expectations change if you are thinking whitetails versus other deer.

More importantly, I keep my sits short and purposeful in October.

If I cannot hunt the right wind, I stay out and glass from a distance.

If I can hunt the right wind, I go in like it is my only sit there for two weeks.

Decide What “Pressure” Means Where You Hunt, Then Hunt Like It Is Worse Than That

Pressure is not the same everywhere, and that matters in October.

On a Pike County, Illinois lease, pressure might mean one neighbor shooting a doe and driving a UTV at 4:30 p.m.

On Missouri Ozarks public, pressure can mean three trucks at the gate and orange hats walking ridges all weekend.

Here is what I do.

I assume the deer have already been bumped once, even if I did not see it.

I choose entry routes that avoid the easiest human path, because deer pattern people faster than people admit.

If you want a quick refresher on deer basics that actually matter in the woods, I sometimes point new hunters to deer species because expectations change if you are thinking whitetails versus other deer.

More importantly, I keep my sits short and purposeful in October.

If I cannot hunt the right wind, I stay out and glass from a distance.

If I can hunt the right wind, I go in like it is my only sit there for two weeks.

Make the “One Sit” Decision, or You Will Bleed Your Spot Out

October is where you have to decide if a stand is a “one sit stand” or a “repeatable stand.”

If you treat every stand like it is repeatable, you will educate deer until you are just bird watching.

I learned the hard way that “just one more sit” is how you turn a good setup into a dead one.

Back in 2018 in the Missouri Ozarks, I hunted a saddle-like pinch three evenings in a row because I had fresh rubs.

I watched a decent 10-pointer skirt me at 70 yards the first night, then he started using the downwind side after that.

That was on me, not on the lull.

Here is what I do now.

If I hunt within 100 yards of bedding in October, I plan it as a one-and-done sit unless I kill something.

If I want a repeatable sit, I back off to the staging area and accept I may only get a 5-minute window right before dark.

Pick a Kill Plan for Does, Not Just a Dream for Bucks

A lot of guys talk October lull like bucks disappear, but the freezer still needs meat.

I process my own deer in the garage, taught by my uncle who was a butcher, so a clean October doe is never a “wasted” tag for me.

Here is what I do.

I pick one evening a week in October to hunt a doe pattern close to bedding and take the first clean broadside shot under 25 yards.

That keeps my confidence up, and it keeps my kids excited because they like action more than stories.

If you are wondering what you are really getting out of a doe, this connects to what I wrote about how much meat from a deer because it helps you decide if you should pass or shoot.

It also helps your buck hunting, because fewer does in one pocket can shift movement and daylight staging later in the month.

Mistake to Avoid: Treating Every Buck Like He Is the Same Age

A 2.5-year-old will do dumb stuff in October that a 4.5-year-old will not.

If you hunt like every buck is reckless, you will set up too far from bedding and you will watch them after dark.

Here is what I do.

If I am seeing small to mid bucks on camera in daylight, I do not assume the big one is doing that too.

I use those younger bucks as proof the area is alive, then I tighten my setup toward the thickest, nastiest cover for the mature buck.

This connects to what I wrote about what is a male deer called because it sounds silly, but new hunters mix up buck behavior fast when they lump every “male” into one bucket.

And if you hunt with kids like I do, using the right words keeps everybody on the same page.

Tradeoff: Be Mobile Like Public Land, or Be Patient Like a Lease

I split time between a small 65-acre lease in Pike County, Illinois and public land in the Missouri Ozarks.

That forces a choice in October.

On public, I move more because somebody else will ruin the spot if I do not.

On the lease, I sit less because the land is small and my scent hangs around like smoke.

Here is what I do.

On Missouri public, I keep one light mobile setup and I do not get emotionally attached to a tree.

On the Pike County lease, I rotate areas and I give bedding ridges 5 to 7 days of rest after one aggressive sit.

If I blow it with a bad wind on a small property, I do not “fix it” by hunting harder.

I back out and let it cool, even if that hurts my feelings.

Use Wind Like a Weapon, Not a Yes-or-No Checkbox

Most guys treat wind like “good” or “bad.”

In October, I treat wind like steering.

Here is what I do.

I pick a setup where my wind misses bedding by 30 to 80 yards, not one where it blows “kind of away” from everything.

I want my scent to dump into a dead zone like a creek, a rock bluff, or an open cattle pasture where deer do not bed.

I also plan for thermals, because evenings in hill country can suck your scent downhill like a vacuum.

Back in 2014 in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, I watched my milkweed float uphill for 10 minutes, then switch and slide down the draw at 6:05 p.m.

That taught me to stop trusting weather apps like they are gospel.

If you want the simple version of that topic, this connects to do deer move in the wind because deer react to wind and so should you.

Make Your Scent Plan About Boots and Sweat, Not Magic Sprays

I already told you I wasted $400 on ozone scent control that did nothing for me.

I still got busted because I was sloppy walking in and I was sweating through my shirt.

Here is what I do now.

I dress light for the walk in, even if it is 42 degrees, and I add layers at the tree.

I carry a cheap hand towel and wipe my face and neck before I clip in.

I keep my boots clean and dry, and I do not walk through the exact trail I expect deer to use.

If you are hunting warm October evenings, forget about fancy scent systems and focus on not sweating like you ran a 5K.

Choose One October “Tell” to Trust, and Ignore the Rest

October can overload your brain because there is sign everywhere and none of it feels like a slam dunk.

If you chase every rub, scrape, track, and camera photo, you will never settle on a kill plan.

Here is what I do.

I pick one tell based on the property.

In the Missouri Ozarks, I trust fresh tracks and droppings on the downwind side of bedding cover more than I trust field edge photos.

In Pike County, Illinois, I trust early evening staging movement near a ditch or terrace more than I trust a single scrape.

If you want a gut-check on what deer are doing day to day, I also lean on feeding times because it keeps me from sitting a dead 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. window on a slow day.

Make Your Shot Plan Boring, Because October Shots Get Western

October deer are wired, and they do not stand there like a velvet buck in a bean field.

They come in tight, they stop behind sticks, and they leave fast.

Here is what I do.

I pick one primary lane and one backup lane before I ever nock an arrow.

I range three objects, like a stump at 17 yards, a forked sapling at 23 yards, and a rock at 28 yards.

I keep my max shot at 20 yards most October evenings, because I would rather eat tag soup than wound one.

This ties back into where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks because when a buck is quartering away and your heart is pounding, you need a simple aiming plan you will actually follow.

Use One Tool That Helps You Sit Still, Because Movement Kills More October Hunts Than Noise

In October, I see more blown encounters from hunters shifting around than from loud walking.

Leaves are still on, and deer catch flickers and shapes.

Here is what I do.

I keep my bow on a hook at chest height, not down by my boots.

I use a small seat cushion so I do not fidget at minute 40.

I also wear thin gloves so I can draw without my sleeve catching the string.

I wasted money on bulky late-season gloves before switching to a $19 pair of Sitka Fanatic gloves I bought used, and they let me feel my release.

That is not a fashion choice, that is a shot choice.

Know When to Quit a Sit, Because “All Day October” Is Usually a Lie

I love long sits in November, but October is different for me.

Unless I have a weather trigger, I do not sit all day and hope.

Here is what I do.

I plan my October hunt around the best 90 minutes of the day.

For evenings, I like to be set 2.5 to 3 hours before dark so the woods settles down.

For mornings, I am either in stupid early or I am not going at all.

If I have hunted a tight bedding setup and it is dead by the last 45 minutes, I do not climb down early and stomp around.

I sit until dark and slip out clean, because the exit can ruin tomorrow just as fast as a bad entry.

Wrap Up: What I Actually Trust During the October Lull

I do not beat the October lull by hunting harder.

I beat it by hunting tighter to bedding, hunting fewer sits with better wind, and treating every move like a mature buck is already watching.

Back in November 1998 in Iron County, Missouri, my first deer was an 8-point buck with a borrowed rifle.

I still remember how loud the leaves were and how fast he disappeared when I moved wrong.

That same lesson shows up every October.

If you are seeing deer after dark, that is not failure, that is information.

Move the setup, or change the timing, but stop begging a field edge to fix it.

And if you do shoot, do not let October nerves make you rush tracking like I did in 2007.

I still think about that doe, and that is why I would rather be patient and right than fast and wrong.